If there is one player who is a lock not to be on the Philadelphia Flyers this time next year, it is goalie Carter Hart. Hart, 25, is a subject of interest in the Hockey Canada sexual assault investigation, and has not renewed his Flyers contract with just one year remaining.
The cloud that hangs over Flyers fans and hockey fans’ heads alike is the pending outcome of the aforementioned investigation, wherein Hart may be involved. On Aug. 29, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly offered a small, nondescript update to The Athletic‘s Michael Russo ($$$) that essentially regurgitates all the information we have been previously given: a final report is coming “shortly”, and nobody knows for sure what will come as a result of that.
Of course, it is unclear whether Flyers shot-stopper Hart is involved or not, but being on that Hockey Canada team is enough of a connection.
As far as hockey goes though, it seems like No. 79 is on his way out regardless. At the end of the June, the Flyers took it upon themselves to add to their cauldron of goaltenders, drafting Carson Bjarnason and Yegor Zavragin to pair with Alexei Kolosov, Sam Ersson, and Felix Sandstrom. As long as one of these young goalies pans out, Hart becomes obsolete.
Newly-acquired Cal Petersen is unlikely to be a factor, based on his recent performances for the Los Angeles Kings and Ontario Reign. The 28-year old was acquired purely as a salary dump, and will be treated as such. Expect Petersen to serve as the team’s third or fourth goalie while a mix of Hart, Ersson, and Sandstrom hold down the fort for the Flyers in the interim.
In regards to Ersson, the organization seems to have a lot of faith in the Swede, indicated by the early two-year, $2.9 million extension he signed at the beginning of the month. This is bad news for Hart and his time in Philly, because Ersson is not some young kid anymore – he will be 24 on Oct. 20. Effectively, Hart will cede a lot of starts to his partner in goal, if not suspended or traded at some point during the season.
To soften the blow for Flyers fans, Hart should fetch a decent return provided he avoids any kind of discipline or implication related to Hockey Canada. The 25-year old is on a cap-friendly contract and will be an RFA at season’s end, leaving him under team control for one more year at a minimum. Hart has generally been average as a Flyer, but had a better year last season. It will be better for both the player and the team to move on, at this juncture.